


Shooting Down Black Owl

by maaldas



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-02-18
Updated: 2013-02-18
Packaged: 2017-11-29 17:23:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/689529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maaldas/pseuds/maaldas
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The road to be a superhero is not easy. Jared met Jensen when he was fourteen and quite smitten with him. Just before Jensen disappeared out of Jared’s life, he revealed a shocking truth about him that changed Jared’s life. Jared then found him again living a double identity. A popular pop singer at day and a crime fighter superhero at night.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. First Lesson to be a Superhero: Know your strength

**Author's Note:**

> BETA: vamous, roughstorm84
> 
> Written for spn_illuminated and inspired by this art prompt by expectative.
> 
> Disclaimer : All real people you’re about to read here? Never met them, certainly don’t own them.

 

 

 

Jared stepped down from the bus in front of the bus stop sign. Dust billowed around him like a halo. There was a gas station across the street and a long building just at its right. ‘Yellow Motel’ was written on a gigantic board in front of it. Excitement filled Jared’s inside like a low thrum of electricity along his veins. This was it, his big quest begins. He quickly crossed the street to the motel’s office to get a room for the night. Then he called Chad to pick him up in the morning. It was not going to be easy but Jared was determined. After all, he’s got nothing to lose. If this didn’t work he could just go back home to pull anchor with his dad.

Being a fisherman’s son, Jared’s future was set since he was in junior high. His father was one of the best fishermen in his hometown. Jerome Padalecki owned the best ship in York Harbor and it’s been known to all that dwelled in the sea business that it was going to be Jared’s one day. The problem was that Jared never had the same passion his family did. The Padalecki’s came from a long line of fisherman; ever since their ancestor moored their vessel on the dock of York City many years ago.

All men in the Padalecki family had been fishermen, and they always had a place in the family business, but Jared just wanted to do something other than fishing. His cousin Nikki had laughed when Jared told her his wish.

_“What’cha gonna do, Jared?” asked the blond girl between her mirth. “Are you gonna leave your dad to fend for himself?” She was perched atop Jared’s table with feet dangling over._

_“Dad’s not gonna fend for himself. He has Uncle Charles and your brother Mark helping him. Hell, the whole crew is family. He’ll be fine,” said Jared petulantly, slouching down on his bed. Both of them were having a temporary rendezvous in Jared’s room while the elderly, meaning anyone in the family who were older than Nikki and Jared, were holding their own at the living room._

_Jared hated the way Nikki looked at him sometimes. Like he was a silly fourteen year old boy with silly thoughts going through his head. Yeah, alright, he had done that sometimes but that was long past; four long years past. He was no longer the awkward nerdy fourteen year old. For one thing, Jared’s got muscles going for his long limbs now and he’s got brains too. Jared knew he was not a genius but he also knew he had more than it took to be a sailor. When he told Nikki about that the older girl only looked at him with a fond smile on his lips and said,_

_“Being a sailor is not stupid, Jared.”_

_And that got Jared all guilty and uncomfortable. He didn’t mean it. He knew how dangerous life at sea was. He had been sailing with his dad several times, in fact, they went through a sea storm once. You’ve got to have the brain working with your muscles if you want to be a successful fisherman. Challenging nature at its own turf had its thrill, Jared had to admit. It was almost like a work of art, but for the life of him Jared never found his calling for it. His grandfather always said that we all have our place in life, that we should do what we could do best. Our job should not just be work but it should give us satisfaction, a calling to our soul and for him it was sailing, just like Jared’s dad. But Jared was pretty sure sailing was not his calling._

_“Well, what are you gonna do, then?” asked Nikki once Jared explained himself. “Are you gonna be an accountant like Mark?”_

_“Mark is an accountant for sure but he still works for my dad.”_

_“So, what are you sayin’? Do you mean you wanna work for someone other than your dad? Another ship? Another fishing company? I mean, Jared that’s even worse. It means like you ditch your own family like … like a slap to us… are you sure you really wanna do that?”_

_“Nik, stop making assumptions alright! That’s not what I mean,” Jared denied vehemently._

_“Then what is it?”_

_“I mean other than fishing, period!”_

_Nikki looked at him uncomprehendingly. She was trying to understand him but Jared knew it was hard for her to do. She was raised by sailor and lived among them all her life. Fishing was basically her life. She was two years older than Jared. She was smart, daring, and quick with her hands and also her mouth. She was a sailor girl down to her core, went on her first foray into the untamed sea at thirteen. Her father Jonathan Aycox was the best sailor in York next to Jerome Padalecki until his untimely demise under the force of a raging storm when Nikki was four years old._

_“I want to go out. To see what’s out there. To do something and, hopefully, be successful at what I do because that’s what I really want to do. To get satisfaction in what I do, to find my calling.”_

_“And if you found out that what you are looking for is not out there but here with us?”_

_“Then I’ll come back. I just wanna expand my options. I’m sure that there are lots of things I can do out there.”_

_“Are you sure it’s not just because of those muscles?” asked Nikki teasingly._

_“Well, maybe.”_

_Jared let out a small laugh before his expression changed into something similar to a giddy ten year old boy having his first kiss. He jumped off his bed and grabbed his cousin’s hand to pull her down and off his desk._

_Jared dragged an almost reluctant Nikki to the basement of his old house where his father usually stored old fishing equipment saying, “let me show you something,” with a grin that can meant anything but good._

When Jared told his dad, expecting outrage from the old man, he was surprised by his calm acceptance. He merely asked Jared if he wanted to go to school outside town instead of the local university. Jared told him that he did not know, yet. He still had to see what options he got and when Jared insinuated that he might also not work in the family business, for instance if he found other occupation that caught his interest. His father just said that everyone had their own calling. Jared only had to find what was his.

\----------------------------

It felt like a dream when Jared found himself standing in front of his motel room door waiting for Chad to pick him up. Chad was a mechanic at a workshop located on the north side of South Horn City. He was Nikki’s boyfriend one time before he left York to chase his dream to join a rock band and traverse the states in a grimy van. How he ended up in South Horn as a car mechanic was beyond Jared, but he was thankful. He knew living in South Horn was not cheap and he was glad that at least he knew someone here.

An old black Chevy rumbled its way into the parking lot of the motel. The car looked old but in a pristine condition. Jared could not help but admire it.

“Dude! Nice car!” shouted Jared as the old monster approached.

“Don’t wet your panties, yet. ‘It’s not mine,” answered a red neck with mullet hair behind the wheel.

“It’s still awesome. Don’t see lots of these back home,” praised Jared in awe. He ran his fingers along the car’s silver lining and gleaming black paint.

“Ain’t she a beauty?” called the red neck back, “just too bad that I don’t get to own her. Get in now!”

Jared wasted no time and swung his duffle bag onto the back seat and jumped in riding shotgun.

“How you doin’ Padalecki? It’s a shock to see a fish wander away off the water,” asked the red neck at Jared with a smirk while he navigated the muscle car out of the parking lot and onto the street.

“Yeah, same to you Lindberg. How did you get to be a mechanic anyway? Thought you were going rebel with your band.”

“Same old story. Band members suddenly found other interests and, well, people got to eat. Figured I already got here so why not get a job and a place to stay while I chase my dream.”

“So, you’re still with your band?”

“Nah, found this kid down the block with a studio in basement. Pretty cool, I’ll say.”

Jared snorted at Chad. He never was a friend with the rock addict but he knew him from way back, when the guy dated his cousin. Nikki said he was a pretty good musician. Skilled with his fingers, which Jared hoped referred to playing musical instruments and not other things that Jared preferred not to think about. Jared felt things were looking up once he met someone he knew in this big city. He could not wait to plan for his quest of life. He hoped that he’d find what he was looking for in this city and put a rest to all of his wonderings and questions since that fateful night that changed his life forever. The night when his awareness of the world was challenged. The night when he last saw him.

\-----------------------------

_Jared walked down the long hallway to his locker room with trepidation. He stopped a few paces in front of the rows of lockers across the hall to adjust the strap of his backpack. His nerves were jumping all over the place and he hated feeling this way. His hands were shaking with a slight tremor. His stomach was churning inside and cold sweat was breaking out of his pores, dampening his thin shirt. Why didn’t he wear his hoodie today? At least he could hide the sweat and the smell under the thick material._

_Jared hated his body’s coping mechanism. He was known to sweat a lot even in relatively cool air due to his somewhat high body metabolism. There was nothing to be alarmed of and it was actually a good thing, doctor said. Jared’s body processed food faster than normal, thus, produced more energy than other kids his age. It explained Jared’s appetite and his love of food. His father was even ecstatic with the idea. He always said that they would need that abundance of energy on the ship. At the time, Jared just nodded happily. Pleased that he made his father happy but now he was not even amused. Sweat trailed down his neck and forehead making his hair limp and floppy._

_“Shit, you look like a drenched mouse,” said a voice behind him. Jared turned around to find his buddy Gabe eyeing him with pity._

_“Gabe, I don’t need your shit right now!” Jared snapped at the shorter boy. “This is the last day of school and I really need to talk to him about tomorrow night.”_

_“Then go for it! He’s right there,” said Gabe pointing his chin at Jared’s shoulder._

_Jared looked back and hesitated. He adjusted the strap of his bag a few times before taking a deep breath, exhaling it slowly and still standing at the same place. He was shifting his foot from left to right for few seconds until Gabe huffed in disgust at him and forcefully dragged him towards the rows of lockers twenty feet across the hall. Jared, of course was being difficult, and struggled along the way creating a mini fight and disrupting the flow of students around them. In a moment of brilliance, Gabe tripped Jared’s foot and managed to send the taller boy skewed and slamming into his own locker door. Jared scrambled to right himself and stole a glance to his right._

_There was another boy stood in front of an open locker next to Jared. He was tall, as tall as Jared and athletic. His dark blond hair hung over his eyes as they roamed over his books. Glasses dropped down his high aristocratic nose which was so fine compared to Jared’s weird shaped one. And behind those clear glasses, Jared knew that there were the most gorgeous green eyes that Jared ever seen because right now those eyes were looking at him. There were also the pouty lips that should be illegal in at least …err… wait a minute…_

_Shit, oh, shit he was looking at me, Jared screamed in panic inside his head._

_“Hey, ah, you alright?” said a deep voice in front of Jared._

_Jared stood gaping in a silly looking way for a moment before Gabe jammed his pointy elbow into his ribs and he snapped out of his stupid daze into a stuttering galore._

_“Oh, yeah… I mean … yes … I mean…”_

_“Hey, Jensen!” Gabe waved casually and Jensen smiled at him just as easy. Damn it! Gabe got Jensen smiling at him._

_“So, uh, big day tomorrow huh?”_

_“If you say so,” answered Jensen uninterested. He returned his attention to his books and sorted them randomly into his bag._

_“And … uh…”_

_“D’you have date, yet?” Jared blurted that out making Jensen look at him oddly and Gabe to give him a roll eye on how subtle Jared was but Jared did not care. Anything that made Jensen look at him, Jared would do it._

_The older boy switched from Jared to Gabe and back to Jared with an unreadable expression on his face before he shrugged nonchalantly and mumbled to his book bag “maybe.”_

_Silence followed and for few seconds no one said anything. The hallway was empty except for the three of them. The only sound that was heard was Jensen tidying up his locker, emptying it into a box that he pulled out of the bottom of his locker with Jared and Gabe looking on awkwardly beside him._

_When Jared was sure he would die out of embarrassment then and there Jensen asked, “do you guys go?” while he glance sideways at Jared._

_“Uh,…” and again Jared’s tongue betrayed him._

_“Yes! I mean Jared will if he can get a date- Ouch!” A sharp kick landed on Gabe’s foot courtesy of Jared._

_Jensen lifted his eyebrows at Jared, hand stilled over the open box with an old and faded red hat clutched on his right hand._

_“You haven’t got a date for tomorrow night?”_

_“Well, uh… not really …umm…” a revenge jab landed on Jared’s right ribs making him wince, which Jared tried his best to ignore. Instead, he rubbed his neck to hide his nervousness. “I’m … just going to … ask…”_

_“Well, you better hurry then or she’ll get snatched,” said Jensen with a wink and a lopsided smirk on his face which sparked fireworks on Jared’s stomach. Faded red hat laid on top of knickknacks inside the box. “See you at the prom tomorrow, Padalecki.”_

_A big stupid smile bloomed on Jared’s face. His heart soared up high on cloud nine that he did not even realize when Jensen shut his locker door close and walked away down the hall. Jared was still looking at Jensen’s retreating back with a dreamy expression on his face when Gabe hit the back of his head hard, snapping him out of his temporary weightless state of mind._

_“What are you doing?” snapped Gabe._

_“What?” asked Jared back, rubbing his head, a little annoyed._

_Gabe’s eyes went round and he looked like a loon waving his arm back and forth at the direction of the long hallway._

_“That’s it? You let him go without asking him?”_

_“He may have a date already,” said Jared sullenly looking on the empty hallway where Jensen disappeared around the corner._

_“Did he say that?” Gabe shoved Jared’s chest. “Dude, he said maybe. So,_ maybe _that means he doesn’t-”_

_“Maybe he does and I am just gonna make a fool of myself,” grumbled Jared in pouts. He turned to open his own locker with a bit more force almost bashing Gabe’s face with its door._

_“Won’t make any difference. You always make a fool of yourself around him without even striking any conversation with the guy. How many words have you said to him this year?” asked Gabe, moving around Jared to mock him directly in his face._

_“More than you think,” answered Jared indignantly. “I can have conversations with him just fine.” Books were jammed forcefully inside his bag._

_“Did he happen to hear you making those conversations or was he even in the vicinity?” Gabe countered, leaning on a locker to Jared’s left. “Dude, you are so lame!”_

_Jared took a deep breath then exhaled in a huff, shutting his locker door close. “Go home, Gabe.”_

_Jared hefted his backpack and walked down the empty hallway to the front door, head down, shoulder hunched miserably. Gabe quickly caught up to his side._

_“So are we going tomorrow or what?” asked the shorter boy. “We can go stag, you know like last year.”_

_“We are so lame aren’t we?” Jared chuckled._

_“Yo, dude, you’re lame. Not me.” Gabe’s finger was pointed at Jared chest._

_Jared shoved his friend’s shoulder making him stumbled. “You so are!”_

\-----------------------------

 

_A gangly fourteen year old boy slouched alone between empty chairs lining the gym walls. Pop alternative blared out of the double speaker near the stage encouraging the throng of spasming students in the middle of the room that served as the dance floor for the night. Just looking at them jumping around like mad made him sweat. Anybody who called that dance was definitely crazy._

_Jared planned to waste the night at home or at the harbor helping his dad prepare for an early morning sail but his old man threw him off the ship that afternoon before Jared even stepped his foot on it saying that a young boy like him should be dancing and having fun at the party instead of lounging around with a bunch of old men that smelt of salt. Jared pointed out that they allowed Nikki there with them and his dad said that Nikki was not a boy and she was also not invited to Jared’s school prom so she could make herself useful._

_Jared knew that his dad meant well but he wished that he did not. He just could not muster any enthusiasm for it knowing that other students would definitely be having the time of their life except him, just like last year. Yet, this year was Jensen’s last year and it was his last junior prom party. He already said that he would go, presumably with his date, and Jared really want to see him before he graduated. So, with that in mind Jared went to his second year Junior Prom party. He had been crushing on the older boy for a year after all, yet, despite the fact that they had side by side lockers Jared was never brave enough to chat him up other than few greetings here and there between lessons._

_Jared rose up with a bored sigh to approach the food table. There was a huge bowl of fruit punch in the middle of a long table situated between the retracted bleachers near the wall. Assortments of foods of many kinds were laid out neatly around it. Must be the book club, Jared mused._

_Every year the York Junior School held a prom party under the management of the student committee just before the graduation and they worked out a rolling system in assigning duties to clubs. There were three different clubs running the show each year and each of the clubs had their own thoughts and ideas on what to execute during the party._

_So, the result somewhat varied from appalling catastrophe to downright hilarious. Yet, everybody seemed to enjoy it and no one made a protest. ‘Delight in disorder’ or so they said._

_Jared reached for a plastic cup and ladled in two spoonfuls of the sour-sweet beverage, sipped it, and contemplated his choice of foods. He decided to take a bite out of every cookie there washing down the unpleasant ones with his fruit punch and taking a second and third helping of the tasty ones._

_“Your appetite really is astounding,” a deep baritone spoke into Jared’s right ear, the surprised jolt almost decorated his fine shirt with orange pulp!_

_The voice chuckled in mirth and a hand shot out to snatch a fillet sandwich from a wide plate in front of Jared. Tracing back the tailored sleeve to its owner, Jared almost choked on his almond cookie to see Jensen stood beside him calmly eating his sandwich._

_“Hey, this is really good,” said Jensen between mouthfuls of bites._

_Jared looked around him seeing no one beside the two of them near the food table. Everyone else seemed to still be absorbed by the music and their epileptic dances. Not that he meant to be rude to anyone who suffered such illness but really, these people were doing it for fun._

_A red headed girl approached the table making a beeline to the fruit punch. For a moment, Jared thought of her as Jensen’s date for the night but when she poured two cupfuls of drinks without even a glance directed at him or even Jensen, he dismissed the thought. Then he looked Jensen’s way and frowned._

_“Uh…where’s your date?”_

_That was good Jared. Way to start a conversation, keep it up!_

_“Huh?” Jensen replied articulately._

_When Jensen send a questioning look his way, Jared thought he hadn’t heard him, which was understandable with the loud music beating the air around them but then the older boy turned around gesturing to the spasming crowd._

_“She …uh… somewhere over there… I guess,” said Jensen with a shrug before swiveling around to the food table to set his eyes to the bowl of steamed clam on the right side of the punch bowl. He snatched one and struggled with it for a whole minute, Jared looked on amused._

_“How the hell do you open this,” he grumbled annoyingly._

_Jared was inclined to let him at it for much longer because, let’s be honest, it was a quite a temptation to see Jensen pouting and scowling adorably over a steamed clam. Jared really was going to take this as a rare treat he was sure he would not get again. Jared didn’t know what Jensen had planned for his future or what high school would he go to._

_At Jensen’s exasperated huff, Jared took a pity at him and reached out for another clam, a well cooked one. Then gave it to Jensen_

_“Here, try this.”_

_Jensen’s hands stilled, both thumbnails jammed onto the clam’s lid. He looked at the clam on Jared’s palm, then at Jared briefly with a raised eyebrow before discarding his clam on the edge of the table and taking Jared’s. He stuck his thumbnail between the lid and it opens easily. A pleased smile bloomed on his lips making Jared felt oddly satisfied._

_“Some clams just don’t open. They should have discarded them before serving it and hard shell clams become tough and rubbery if they are overcooked,” explained Jared. He rummaged again into the clam bowl and gave another one to Jensen._

_“You sound like a chef. Planning to be one someday?” commented Jensen, genuine curiosity color his voice._

_Jared let out a small laugh. “No, I mean, I don’t know. My cousin Nikki once cooked them during her brief girlish moment. She could never cook anything edible, I swear.”_

_“Nikki as in Aycox?” asked Jensen, “she your cousin?”_

_“Yes. She graduated last year.”_

_“I remember her. Nice girl, packs a mean punch, though.”_

_“Yeah, she is,” Jared snorted at that seemed to be the end of their conversation._

_Jared could not find anything to talk about and the things that he wanted to ask were just too personal. He was afraid he would ruin the somewhat comfortable air between them. This was by far the longest conversation he’d had with Jensen and he did not want to mess it up. He stood awkwardly shifting his foot and fussing over the end of his long sleeves sneaking glances at Jensen._

_Jensen finished his clam and poured two ladles of punch into a plastic cup. Students wandered over the table to snatch food here and there. A couple of giggling girls come near Jensen shooting him shy glances. They were whispering and smiling coyly at him making Jared wanted to slap them silly. Luckily, they scampered away before Jared could do anything._

_“Hey, you wanna get out of here?” asked Jensen all of a sudden._

_“Get out? Like… out of this building? Out of school?”_

_“No, just away from this lousy noise.”_

_Jared snorted at Jensen’s obvious distastes on the music and he was pleased inside to share the same opinion with him that he hurriedly agree to Jensen’s idea. Not that he would refuse any of Jensen’s offer, either._

_Jared packed up few provisions, mainly cookies and candies before following Jensen out of the gym. Jared led them down the hall to the other side of the building. They encountered several students wandering the hall in pairs, probably to find a place to make out or doing something equally naughty. Thinking about that made Jared shiver. How would people look at them, wandering the hall together? Would they think of them as a couple looking for a good place to make out? Jared’s face heated up, which Jensen unfortunately caught._

_“What’s up?”_

_“Huh?” Jared snapped out of his reverie, “nothing.” He shook his head and ducked his head down, trying hard to hide his blush._

_“Hey, people will probably think we’re going to make out somewhere,” Jensen smirked his patented lopsided one._

_Damn it, Jensen! Now, Jared’s face would definitely combust._

_“Hey, here!”_

_Jensen stopped in front of a door to a classroom that Jared recognized it as the Math classroom. Jensen went inside and made a beeline to the cabinet at the corner of the room next to the whiteboard. Jared had no other choice than to follow him in._

_“What’re you gonna do?”_

_“Close the door!” told Jensen over his shoulder and Jared did just that._

_Jensen dropped down on his knees in front of the old steel cabinet, pulling out two pointy looking tools and fussing about the lock for few seconds._

_“Dude, what’re you…”_

_“Shhh…”_

_Jared knew when to stay quiet, although it was a hard thing for him to do because he was always a speak-your-mind kind of guy, but from the tone of Jensen’s voice he knew Jensen would not appreciate it at the moment. So, he waited listlessly behind Jensen, towering over his head trying to see what the older boy was doing._

_Seconds ticked by and before Jared started to complain about his aching neck Jensen let out a pleased chuckle and opened the cabinet door with a flourish._

_“Here we go, baby.”_

_Jared snorted. “You couldn’t open a clamshell, but you can open a locked door?”_

_“Shut up!” Jensen ignored Jared’s teasing smirk and rummaged around the inside of the cabinet._

_“What’re you looking for anyway?” Jared flipped over a stack of papers on the top shelf. “There’s nothing here but a bunch of old test paper. Are you going to steal your test paper?”_

_“I don’t care if old Morrison’s got a weird quirk about keeping his students old test papers in an equally old steel cabinet instead of throwing them away after the students graduated but he’s definitely got something valuable in here.” Jensen moved the piles of papers out of the bottom self, stacking them haphazardly near their feet. Then his fingers felt around the inside corner of the cabinet in a deft movement before using his stick like tools as a lever to open up the bottom._

_“And voila!” Jensen let out a yell of victory._

_“What’s in it?”_

_Jared looked on while Jensen pulled out the contents of the false bottom and handed them over to Jared. Most of them were comic books that the Math teacher had confiscated throughout the years and some of them were very old. Jared spread them out on top of the teacher’s table skimming through the pages._

_“Wow! Look at this. I think it’s a first edition from many years back and I think I have one of these at home. Oh, Jen, check this one,” Jared let a chuckle, “this one I am sure Gabe would cut his right hand off to have.”_

_“That awesome, huh?” Jensen said from beside him. “I never really know how much old comics are worth, never bought one for more than a couple of dollars but I know the older the comic the higher its price.”_

_“Well, it’s varied actually. Only because your comic is old doesn’t mean it is worth more than the money you spent to buy it. Rarity, popularity and condition of said comic decide its price.”_

_“You sound like you know a lot about them,” commented Jensen._

_“Oh no,” Jared laughed, “Gabe’s the one who talks on and on about his comic collection and how he’s going to sell it someday and becomes a multi billionaire because of it.” Jared rolled his eyes._

_“Well, there’s no harm in trying. I doubt old Morrison even knows the value anyway. The guy’s been keeping it inside a false bottom in his cabinet for years collecting dust and moths.” Jensen stacked the comics into a single pile._

_“Are you going to take them all?”_

_“To the victor go the spoils,” Jensen threw a wide smile and a wink Jared’s way making the lanky boy blush a little, just a little._

_For the first time in a year, Jared felt very at ease around Jensen. He did not even realize that he had shortened Jensen’s name during his brief moment of awe. Still in awe, by the way. Being here with Jensen, making decent conversation with him, teasing him, being teased and basically just having a fun time together was sort of a dream come true._

_“Hey,” Jensen paused, “You wanna have some of it?”_

_Jared shook his head no but Jensen was already sorting through them. “Come on, here!” he thrust out half the stack with the rare one on top, “I bet you can gloat at Gabe for having it, yeah? Make him in your debt forever? I mean he’s already willing to part with his right hand for it, what more can harm?”_

_And Jared barked a laugh because he had to admit the idea of Gabe being in his debt forever was kind of fun. Instead he said, “nah, having him bitching and whining is more irritating.”_

_Jensen snickered, eyes bright with a teasing glint and so green that they captivated Jared as he held Jensen’s gaze for few seconds. Seconds that felt like hours when all they did was trade smiles, and daydream, at least on Jared’s part. He doubted Jensen ever daydreamed about him._

_“So, did you plan this all along or what?” Jared asked snapping out of the daydream, heaving his body up to sit on the table beside Jensen’s comics. “How did you know where to look anyway?”_

_“Well,” Jensen pulled out a string and tied the books together making a bundle, “it was a coincidence, really. I caught him storing one of these onetime after class when I went to submit a project early. It was after your class, I think.”_

_“Really?” Jared raised his eyebrow surprised. “When was that? I don’t…” Jared trailed off trying to remember the time when his math teacher confiscated comic books during his class. He definitely would remember if Jensen passed by when the class was over._

_“It was the time when you were sick. Some accident on board while night sailing with your dad?”_

_“Ah, yes, I remember! Or rather I don’t,” Jared chuckled. Then, he frowned, “How do you know? I didn’t tell anyone I went night sailing with my dad except to Gabe. Did Gabe tell you?” Although, Jared could never think of any reason why Gabe would tell Jensen out of the blue. Perhaps Jensen asked him? That was more unlikely because before today Jared never said more than ten words to Jensen let alone a fairly decent conversation. So, there was no way that Jensen would be inclined to inquire about his health condition._

_“Of course not. Why would he? And I never asked him either. I asked around,” Jensen explained with a dismissive shrug of his right shoulder._

_“Then why?”_

_“Are you that upset that I know?” Jensen frowned and Jared could detect a bit of apprehension color his voice, which compelled Jared to reassure him. Although, why would Jensen be apprehensive about it, Jared did not know._

_“No, no, not upset. Just … odd…”_

_“How so?”_

_Now Jared could tell that Jensen was genuinely confused. “That you asked around about me even if you don’t know me.”_

_Again, Jensen let out a deep baritone laugh that seemed to come from the deep of his throat. “Oh, I know who you are Jared Padalecki. Son of Jerome Padalecki, one of the best sailor and fisherman in town. Your mother died when you were a kid and you’re an only son. You’re a Cancer born on July, 19 th. You have gym class every Tuesday and English class every Wednesday. You joined athletic club last year because Gabe dragged you into it. You moan and bitch at him but secretly you enjoy it. The club gives you an outlet to let loose your over abundance of energy and …hmmm… what else?” Jensen paused to think for a moment before continued with, “oh, and you twisted your ankle while doing a slam dunk in gym class last week. How’s it doin’ by the way?” _

_Jensen peered down to look at Jared’s ankle, concern shown on his face while Jared just gaped at him._

_“Dude, just …”_

_“I notice things,” said Jensen with a sheepish smile, ducked his head down, fussed over his strings, “interesting things, and you’re kinda interesting, for me at least. Kind of hard to ignore someone who has a locker next to mine,” Jensen said with a nervous chuckle, “and before you accuse me of stalking, which I am not, I just wanna tell you that I have a tendency to store any information I stumble upon in my memory. Besides, you are hard to ignore - always loud and full of energy. I kind of envy you, actually.”_

_“You envy me?” Jared threw back with as much incredulousness as he could muster, because really, the thought of Jensen envying him was so far out of his mind it was hilarious. So hilarious that he couldn’t stop laughing for two minutes._

_Jensen looked at him perplexed. Confused smile pulled hesitantly at his lips as if afraid that Jared’s madness was somehow contagious and he would soon be rolling around on the floor cackling his ass off like mad with no reason. “Why … why’re you laughing?”_

_“You!” That’s all Jared could say._

_“What?”_

_Jared took a deep breath to calm himself down before answering, “don’t you know that I spent the last year kinda admiring you?”_

_Jensen’s eyebrows rose, “kinda?” with a teasing smirk on his lips making Jared blush and rub behind his neck shyly._

_“You’re … kinda interesting too.”_

_“Glad you think so, Jared,” said Jensen softly and when Jared looked up he saw a genuinely pleased smile on Jensen’s lips. He turned to lean back on the table beside Jared._

_Jared felt so content that he decided to ask him the question that sparked his curiosity since the first time he saw Jensen standing beside him in front of their locker. “Can I ask you something? You probably don’t wanna answer it and it’s ok. Really. You don’t have to answer it if you don’t want to I … I just …”_

_“Just spill it already, Jared.”_

_“Ok.” Jared licked his lips. “What … what really happened two years ago?”_

_“Oh…”_

_Jensen’s feature became subdued. He looked down and stayed quiet for a long moment that Jared thought he had made a mistake by asking Jensen such a sensitive question. He did not want to lose his newfound friendship with the older boy, so, he rushed to explain, “It’s ok if you don’t wanna talk about it. It’s cool and I don’t-”_

_“I’m sure you know I got in an accident, right?” Jensen started. Jared nodded, breath held in a hopeful anticipation, eager and exited that he was finally about to get the full scoop of the mystery that was Jensen’s life two years ago, right out of the boy’s own lips._

_Jensen was Nikki’s age and her classmate for a year. He was quite popular among his peers, joined a few clubs, excelled in sports before the terrible plane crash that killed Jensen’s parents along with 349 passengers changed his life. Rumors said that Jensen was in that plane and that he was the only survivor of the accident. The fall out of that incident was rather severe for Jensen’s family. Journalists and news reporters hunted him down and camped out in front of his old house so Jensen had to live with his overprotective grandparents who forbade him to leave their house until the entire hullabaloo died down in the next three or so months. No one ever saw Jensen once the news of the accidents hit the town._

_Then, when the clamor was down to a manageable level, Jensen went ill for six months resulting in the delay to his studies. The whole school knew it because Jensen’s grandfather went to see the principle that time. Many thought that Jensen was just fishing for sympathy, that his sudden popularity with the accident was not enough for him. But Nikki never believed that and neither did Jared. They knew how losing a parent felt and although Nikki was never a close friend to Jensen, she was sure that Jensen was not that kind of person._

_“Since I’ve missed out more than five months of school they decided to hold me back a year. I don’t really mind. I have more things to think about anyway.”_

_“What got you?” asked Jared, still enraptured in Jensen’s story. “I mean you were sick for quite a long time.”_

_“I… fell into a coma I guess.” When Jared raised his eyebrows and looked at him with wide eyes in a disbelief expression Jensen added, “the doctor said it was some kind of a backlash from the accident. I was hurt quite bad, you know.”_

_“But I thought you survived, you’re the only survivor of that crash,” asked Jared in confusion._

_“That did not mean I got off unscathed,” Jensen laughed. “You probably wonder why I told you any of this…” Jensen trailed off and when Jared waited patiently but when seconds ticked off and Jensen did not appear to want to continue Jared prodded._

_“Why?”_

_Jensen let out a big sigh. “Well, did I tell you that you’re interesting?”_

_“Yes, you did. Couple of times actually.”_

_Jensen turned sideways facing Jared. He leaned in a bit before saying in a quiet voice, “I like you, Jared. Like, really like you.”_

_Jared’s heart stopped beating for a couple of seconds before picking up twice as fast. His brain stopped processing right at the word ‘like’ and it refused to work again. It went around and round and round the idea of Jensen liking him. Such a strange, thrilling concept._

_“And I really want to get to know you but I …” Jensen trailed off and leaned closer towards Jared. Jared’s body seemed to freeze. His sole attention was only on Jensen’s eyes, what a beautiful green they were, on Jensen’s lips, what a lustful pink they were and how Jared longed to taste it. He imagined how soft they were and the thought barely formed in Jared’s mind when said lips pressed intimately on his own lips._


	2. Second Lesson to be a Superhero: Know Thy Enemy

 

 

Black Horn Music was a popular label in the music industry. They were the one behind the rise of many great and popular singers and bands nowadays, including RJ, the newest superstar and money driller of Black Horn. He was young. He was handsome. He had wonderful voice and he was also the reason why Jared stood in front of this towering building looking up towards the big metal letter hung above.

Jared took a deep breath before steeling himself to enter through the double glass door. Inside was not what Jared imagined. For a popular label the place was pretty quiet. There was only a blond girl in mid twenties sat behind the receptionist desk talking animatedly into the phone. Jared approached her warily waiting for her to notice him. She was too engrossed in her phone conversation and Jared had to wait for a boring ten minutes listening to her yapping and giggling before he said,

“Excuse me?”

The blond huffed in annoyance, said good bye to her chatting friend on the phone for another five minutes before finally addressing Jared. “Yes, can I help you?” asked her in a high pitched voice and fake smile.

“I’d like to see RJ, please,” asked Jared politely and she burst out laughing her ass off right at Jared’s face.

“Honey, I’m sorry,” she was chortled mirthfully. “I know that we adopt an open policy regarding our fans but really, you shouldn’t take that at face value. You can’t just walk in here demanding to see our artist. He’s busy.”

“But I heard that here’s the only place you can meet him? I mean I can’t find where he lives so,…”

“Yes, that’s the idea, see? Can you imagine the hassle if he made his home address public? The poor guy would be ambushed at his own house. As you know some RJ fans are pretty diehard and fanatic.”

“So, he’s not here at the moment?”

“No, he’s rarely here unless he’s recording new songs or when …” she trailed off when a man in a white business suit came out of the elevator talking loudly or shouting more like on his phone.

“No, RJ, listen to me! You can’t just ditch your assistant out of nowhere … yes, I know he’s an adult and he can go home by himself but …” The man was walking back and forth in front of the receptionist desk with a hand raking through his dark hair. “No, no, RJ, this is the tenth time you’ve kicked out your assistant … Oh, don’t try to be cute with me. He was there to help you!” He was drawing out each word as if he was talking to six years old.

Jared traded a look with the receptionist girl mouthing off ‘tenth time?’ at her. The girl just shrugged her shoulder.

“At least tell me what kind of assistant that you want?” asked the white suit man in a subdued weary tone. “I know that you can handle it. Yes, you never miss your schedule. You have a good memory and I admire you for it but …”

Jared held a smile and ducked his head. That really sounded like Jensen.

“I just wanna take care of my star. I can’t have you burned out dealing with things that you don’t have to. You … you’re a STAR, RJ,” he fisted his hand in the air, “you should only think of your songs and your shows and be the creative, genius singer that we all know and love.” He rolled his eyes while saying that.

“Fine.” The man closed his phone with a huff before addressing the receptionist, “Gladys, tell Alona to re-open assistant hunting and tell her to forward me the Kane contract.”

“Yes, Mr. Black, right away.”

The man in white suit called Mr. Black strode out of the buildings muttering about spoiled young stars under his breath leaving Gladys, the receptionist, busy with her task.

“Um … who’s that? Is he RJ’s manager or something?” asked Jared receiving a shrug from Gladys.

“Kinda and a bunch of other stars,” answered her distractedly while she fiddled with her phone. “Oh, Alona, Mr. Black asked me to tell you to re-open the hunting … yeah, who else?” Gladys rolled her eyes. “At least he’s cute … yeah, … oh, and he asked you to forward him the Kane contract. Does that mean we won’t be seeing Kane for much longer?” asked the blond receptionist, grinning from ear to ear and sounding eager. “Oh, totally!” Another giggling and hair twirling action happened with Jared looking on with bored expression on his face.

When she finished her tete-a-tete with the manager’s secretary, Gladys put down her phone and looked at Jared with a jolt of surprise as if she just realized that Jared was still there. Actually, she might be. Jared wondered if her head went any lighter she might have flown out of the building.

“What’re you doing here?” asked Gladys, accusation sharp in her tone. “RJ’s not here. Perhaps you can check him out at his next show.”

“Would you please call me when RJ is here? I’ll give you my number,” Jared pleaded taking out his wallet, stealing her notepad and pen to write down Chad’s phone number before making a sad face complete with his trademark puppy dog eyes that Nikki swore should be banned in all states. “Please?”

Gladys huffed and scowled for a few seconds, averting her eyes from Jared’s killer one, hesitating for few seconds more before finally took back her note with Chad’s phone number in it. “It’s not free.”

“I’ll pay you. I just wanna see RJ. It’s important,” promised Jared with conviction of a politician during Election Day.

The receptionist just rolled her eyes, “yeah, yeah, heard that a lot before and won’t be for the last time.” She did not throw away the number, though. So, Jared hurriedly said his gratitude and got out of there for not annoyed her any longer and made her change her mind.

Jared never thought that looking for Jensen would be easy. Recognizing him from a music video and actually meeting him was a two different thing. He also did not have a high hope that Jensen would remember him after five years but Jared felt so lost right now. He needed a purpose and he needed to find Jensen and talk to him about few things. Jensen always talked about Jared’s overabundance energy, called it magnificent and even envied it. Did Jensen know about Jared’s power all along considering that he got one himself? That was the question that needed to be answered by Jensen that was why Jared had to see him.

\-----------------------------

 “So, you bored there, yet?” teased Nikki snickering on the other end of the phone line.

“No,” answered Jared with a pout. “I’ve found him, you know.”

“Yeah, yeah. Did you talk to him, yet?” Nikki was chuckling merrily when Jared did not answer. “Let me guess. He doesn’t even know you exist. Hahaha... Jared, what did I tell you? You think it’s gonna be that easy meeting a pop star? Especially one as arrogant as your boy.”

“He’s not my boy and he’s not arrogant. You don’t know him like I do. You used to think nice things of him why change now?” demanded Jared a bit irked by his cousins judgmental attitude.

“I’m still not sure he’s the same boy as your Jensen. It’s too farfetched of a fantasy story. A boy suddenly disappeared from his hometown then becomes a superstar years later.”

“Don’t you think a _guy_ who can shoot pink beams out of his hands is also too farfetched? Yet, you’re talking to him.”

“That’s just you being a freak, dear,” says Nikki flippantly, “and I never pretend to understand your way of thinking. By choosing to run far away from home chasing for false hope instead of continuing your family business is weird enough for me to comprehend.”

Jared just rolled his eyes. “Whatever. So, about the thing I asked you yesterday?”

“Well, since I’m a good cousin, the best in town I believe, I wired you some money yesterday. Behind your dad’s back I may add. I’ll only do it once, Jared. Next time you ask me for more I’m telling your dad. Let him come and haul your ass back here. I still can’t believe that old man Padalecki let you go,” grumbled Jared’s cousin.

“Believe me, I was surprised myself,” muttered Jared. “Thanks a lot, Nik. I promise I’ll pay you back once I got settled here. Maybe with a job or two.”

“Just be careful and don’t get into trouble.”

“Hehehe…. You know me. Bye!”

Jared put the handle of the phone on its place then picked up his duffel from the floor. He struggled for a few seconds with the door of the too small phone booth before coming out of the damn thing. He swore the first thing he’s going to buy when he had enough money was a cell phone. He had spent the following days after his visit to Black Horn wandering around the city looking for jobs. He knew he could not rely on Chad forever to take him in and if he had just a shred of Nikki’s affinity on engines of any kind, he would definitely take Chad up on his offer to work in his workshop. Instead, he was forced to look for odd jobs to tide him over until he figured out what he wanted to do with his life. He could apply to the local university here but that plan felt so out of this world right now. He couldn’t think of anything beyond finding Jensen.

The cost of living in big city was twice the cost of living in small town and he had spent more than half of his savings even living as frugally as he could. So, getting a job was a top priority right now although much easier said than done. Everyone here seemed to get suspicious over anyone. Even the guy at the Pizza restaurant was asking him about recommendations when he asked him for a courier job. What recommendation that he had other than going fishing with his father? So, Jared was still unemployed.

If he was not out looking for jobs, he would bother Chad no end with his constant inquiries about Gladys’ promised call until the older man got sick of him and kicked him out of his loft. Today was one of those days. Chad had told him specifically not to come back until he tired himself out. He decided to go and get his laundry done anyway since he was also down to his last T-shirt, a horrendous pink polo shirt as a gag gift from Nikki last year. He did not even remember packing it so he was sure Nikki was the culprit behind it. There was a Laundromat at the corner of an intersection two blocks away from Chad’s apartment and Jared had to walk along the street with his head down in embarrassment although no one noticed him and his shirt. In this city no one would even bat him an eye if he walked down the street half naked.

There were two women and a guy sitting on the long bench waiting in front of the washing machines. They guy was talking very animatedly on his cell phone while the women were reading some magazines. They did not even look up when Jared came in, so he hurriedly made a beeline towards the washing machine at far corner and stuffed his dirty clothes in it. After he got it to spin, Jared took a seat right in front of his machine far away from the other patrons.

Jared was on the second spin of his washer when a loud screech was heard from outside followed by the sound of metal hitting metal multiple times so loudly that it brought the patrons running outside. People were milling about at the side of the street looking at the terrible sight of a serious car wreck.

A huge eight-wheeler truck coming from the east hit a black sedan from the south at full force sending the poor Cadillac into a barrel roll on the asphalt. It stopped after fifty feet upside down right in front of the Laundromat. People were screaming and Jared noticed in his peripheral vision that the guy from the Laundromat quickly cut off his chat on the phone to call 911.

“Oh my God!” screamed the woman from the Laundromat right as Jared reached the car.

He crouched on the asphalt to peek inside the driver side and cringed at the blood and gore splattered all over the crushed dash and broken glass. The driver was definitely out. Then, Jared saw movement in the back seat. It seemed there was a kid back there trapped by the seatbelt. Jared crawled over next to the back door of the car when a man came at the other side of the car peeking inside.

“Hey, man. There’s a kid inside,” said the man.

“Yeah, I think she’s trapped by her seatbelt. Can you reach it from there?” asked Jared half crawling inside the car from the broken window. He was reaching for the kid’s body when he noticed that her left ankle was also trapped under the driver’s seat. “Wait, wait! I think her leg got trapped too. If you release the lock she’ll dropped down and-”

“-break her leg,” continued the man from the other side. “Ughh, this’s not good, man. Perhaps we better wait for the medic.” Then, the man stood up and shouted to the small crowd. “Has somebody called 911, yet?”

Jared heard someone answered yes, probably the Laundromat guy. He felt around the girl’s leg and found out that it got stuck pretty good under the driver’s seat with the roof crushing down on it. “Damn, it!” The only way was to cut off the material or rolling over the car and both could not be done without paramedic’s help unless…

Jared slipped his palm under the girl’s leg and pushed up with all of his power until he felt the floor of the car gave. He managed to break through the metal floor under the girl’s foot and making a big enough hole to pull up her leg.

“Hey! I got-” Jared shouted for the other man when he suddenly reappeared in front of Jared with a stunned expression on his face.

“What? How did you do that?” asked him looking at the hole Jared had made on the car metal floor.

“Got her leg. Can you reach for the lock?” asked Jared ignoring his questioning look at him and made a gesture for the seatbelt. She was freed easily after that and Jared was cradling her limp body to his chest while he crawled backwards out of the car.

A black van pulled over seemingly out of nowhere, screeching to a stop right beside Jared. Three men came out of the back door and one of them pointed their gun at his head. The other two of them were standing around Jared also with their gun out.

“Give us the girl!” shouted the first gunman. Gunman number two with a tattoo of black scorpion on his neck pointed his gun at the man who helped Jared.

“No! This poor girl’s hurt! We have to take her to a hospital.”

The third gunman shoved at the back of Jared’s head with the muzzle of his gun, threatening, “Get in the van! Move it! Or I’ll blow your head off.”

Jared had no other option than to obey. He shuffled over to the van and the man pushed his back roughly making him stumble over the door. He was roughly shoved inside, followed by two of them before they slammed the door closed, and Jared felt the van started to move. The two gunmen seated with bent legs near the door, one on each side with their guns pointing at him.

“Don’t try anything funny.”

“This is so not what I imagined my night would be,” sighed Jared morosely. He adjusted his hold on the girl when he felt her stir. Jared scooted backward until his back hit the wall behind the driver’s seat and he looked around. The van looked void of anything with barely any illumination. Yet, Jared was still able to notice that both the bad guys had identical tattoos on the left of their neck. They were dressed in black fatigue and wore similar crop cut hair and cold expressions on their faces. 

The girl stirred and started to whimper. Jared eased on his hold and laid her on his lap with her head on his left arm and whispering to her softly, “Hey, hey, it’s ok. It’s ok. I got you.” But her whimper escalated to a cry when she opened her eyes and saw him.

“Oh, please don’t cry. I’m not gonna hurt you. I promise,” said Jared trying to calm her down. She was probably scared waking up to a stranger and her ankle must hurt badly. It looked bad, in Jared’s opinion. The skin around the ankle had turned black blue and swelled. Jared lifted up her left leg to ease it from touching the van floor and put a strain on the swollen ankle. The girl screamed in pain.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. It’s ok. I’m just lifting up your leg. Ssshhh… it’s  ok, honey. We’ll get you to the hospital soon. Shhh…”

“Get her to be quiet!” told one of the bad guys.

“She’s scared and in pain. We’ve got to take her to hospital,” pleaded Jared.

“Shut up!”

The little girl could not have been older than eight. She grabbed Jared’s shirt tight and buried her face on his chest sobbing incessantly. Jared felt bad but he was more upset at the bad guys. He did not know why they had decided to kidnap them right after the accident. He felt like he was thrown into a nightmare and kept hoping to wake up anytime soon.

The van made a sharp turn to the right and Jared had to brace his body against the wall of the van. Right after that he heard a loud thump on top of the van. Then, there was a sound of clanking from the door.

“What the…”

The small sliding panel on the small window above Jared’s head slid open and a face peeked inside. “Black bird’s coming!” warned the man before sliding the panel closed. The two gunmen near the door sprung into action. They crouched facing the back door with their guns at the ready and pointed at the door. The clanking was heard again and the gunmen showered the door with bullets. Jared covered the girl’s ears and kept shushing, trying to calm her down.

The van was moving in a weird way, zigzagging across the street and Jared and the girl were thrown all over the van. He had to cradle the girl’s body in his chest tight and protect her bad ankle as best he could but the van was moving like crazy and Jared was afraid that it was going to flip. The little girl was screaming. Gunshots were heard from outside of the van. Jared crawled to the corner behind the driver’s seat and braced himself with his legs planted firmly on the floor. Then, suddenly, the van’s back door was opened.

A figure in an all black suit and a black coat appeared on the door and disappeared in a split second before the bad guys could rain bullets on it. Then, it suddenly appeared inside the van and behind them. Fists were flying so fast that in seconds the two goons were slumped on the floor unconscious.

Jared was flummoxed. He could barely understand what had happened just then. The little girl clutched her arms tightly around his neck in fright almost choking him and he barely felt it. The man in black suit turned around to face him. He was wearing some sort of a black mask covering half of his upper face that only his eyes and mouth were visible. He loomed over Jared’s slumped body in the corner.

“Are you both alright?” asked a deep baritone voice. A voice that was kind of familiar to Jared but Jared was so stunned that he just sat there gaping at him.

A gun blasted right next to Jared’s left ear sending it ringing. Jared clamped a hand on his left ear slouching down more against the corner wall while he saw the most absurd scene he had ever seen. The bad guys at the front seat must have had realized that their buddy had gone down and now they were shooting the masked man through the small window. The masked man moved lightning fast dodging bullets left and right in such a way that Jared’s eyes had a hard time keeping up with him.

“Stay here!” shouted the masked man and he was all but flew away off the van in seconds. The men at the front seat were cussing and cursing. Jared just prayed that they wouldn’t shoot him or the little girl in their rage.

Jared could not move even a muscle. “I’m not going anywhere,” he muttered in a low whisper. More gun shots were heard between the banging sounds of the van’s flapping back door hitting the van’s frame. Then, the van was forced to a stop that sent Jared careening to the floor face first. He barely had a time to brace his body to avoid injuring the little girl even more.

Jared scrambled up off the floor and was going to the door when/b the masked man offered his hands to help him. He accepted the offer and held his black gloved hand while his other hand held on the little girl. She was crying on his shoulder wetting his pink t-shirt with tears. Jared stumbled off the van, tripping over the bodies of the two goons knocked out near the door. All of the jostling and fighting had really spread his nerves thin and the drop of adrenalin left him drained.

“Are you guys alright?” asked the masked man again, looking at them with concern splayed in his striking green eyes. Jared stood quietly in front of his savior, the black masked man, studying his face very closely until the man suddenly turned around to leave and that snapped Jared’s attention.

“W …w… wait! The girl’s injured. We got to take her to the hospital.”

Jared noticed his surrounding for the first time. They were somewhere around the area where there were warehouses on the left and right of the quiet street.

“The cops’ll be here soon. They’ll take you to hospital,” said the masked man with his back on Jared.

“But what if those guys wake up before the cops show up?” protested Jared. “They … uh… they’re not dead, right?”

“No.”

“Then, I think you should stay here in case they wake up and-”

“Cops coming. Take care of yourself.”

Before Jared could utter another word the masked man had jumped off the ground and disappeared in a black light. Sirens were heard from a distance and approaching. Jared walked farther away from the van just in case the bad guys stirred before the cops got there. He saw a lamp post that was bent in the middle and half of it was stuck to the front of the van. Jared guessed that was what had stopped the van. He spent the time contemplating his brief meeting with the night’s savior, the black masked man. He could not help but wonder that this guy felt familiar to him. After all, there was only one other guy that he knew who had such power.

\----------------------------

_Jensen’s lips felt heavenly on Jared’s. He had stopped questioning his good fortune a few seconds ago and was just enjoying the kiss as much as he could. He moaned low on his throat, chasing after Jensen’s lips more vigorously, and Jensen responded with enthusiasm. After a few more seconds he felt Jensen’s body press close to him, and his left arm looping around Jared’s slim waist and his right fingers combing through Jared’s hair. Jared was too busy licking inside Jensen’s mouth and sucking on his plump bottom lip to care where his own hands were going. Perhaps on Jensen’s shoulder but he was not sure. He was aware of clutching his shirt, though._

_Jared felt himself go hard and pressed his hips closer to Jensen’s, he felt the other boy’s erection grind into him. What Jared felt was only pleasure and it spread all over his body starting from his groin to fill around his stomach and soon he was panting into Jensen’s mouth. He reluctantly let him go when Jensen pulled his lips back to suck more air into his lungs. They were only a part a few inches and Jensen breathed into his open mouth, “fuck, Jared. I so want you, now.”_

_Jared did not have a reply for that confession because even though he knew he too wanted Jensen so badly he was still amazed that the older boy wanted him. Jared awkwardly shuffled his feet and that was when he realized that something weird was going on. He could not feel the floor under him. Their foreheads were still pressed together and their breaths were still mingling when the oddness of the situation made Jared look down only to freak out of his mind._

_Jared gasped in panic because somehow they were floating a few feet off the floor._

_“Oh shit!” cursed Jensen before suddenly the floor seemed to pull them down and send them sprawling head over limbs on it.  Jensen went into a panic. He looked at Jared with eyes wide in terror and scrambled off the floor seconds later while Jared was still in daze. He barely understood what had happened. “I…I’m …ss…sorry… Jared…I…” Jensen was walking backward away from Jared with fear written all over his face before turning around snatching his bundle and he literally zapped out of the room in a cloud of black light._

_Jared thought he was imagining that entire scene but when the next day he went to school only to find Jensen had already left town, he started to wonder. Especially, when six months later, he succeeded in knocking over a fifteen foot tall tree with his fist during a mock fight with Nikki._

\----------------------------

 

After confirming the facts from Chad, Jared was convinced that there was a superhero called Black Owl who roamed this town mostly at night but he was known to show up during the day too whenever there were a crime happened. Jared too was confident that this Black Owl was Jensen. That was why he was now pestering Gladys to accept his application for RJ’s assistant.

“Trust me. He’ll hire me,” said Jared confidently. Gladys raised her eyebrows in indifference but Jared only gave her his cocky smile. “Come on! What else you got to lose? He’s been kicking out assistants ever since he first joined your agency.”

“D’you have any experience?”

Jared sent her an annoyed look. “Look, your boss has been pulling his hair out due to this particular problem, right? It’ll stop becoming his problem when he accepts me as RJ’s new assistant.”

“What makes you so sure that RJ’ll approve of you?”

“Oh, he will,” said Jared with a smirk. “Just forward this to him, please? You won’t regret it.”

Gladys heaved an irritated sigh and reluctantly took Jared’s file folder to put it on a pile on top of other applicants.

“Thank’s. Have a nice day!”

Jared was whistling, walking out of the building with a spring in his steps. Oh, he did not have a high hope that Jensen recognized him. After all, he was not the same skinny fourteen years old boy anymore. He had changed a lot, got taller and bigger and more confident but that was not a problem. He just needed to grab Jensen next time they met and jog his memory a bit. Now, the problem was how the hell would he catch a man who had the ability to fly and moved as fast as lightning?

“Judge Daniel Paxton offers his deepest gratitude to the man in the pink shirt for saving his daughters’ life yesterday. Mr. Pinky, as the lovely dear Molly dubbed him, had chosen to join her inside the kidnaper’s van to protect her. He stood between her and the bad guys. Miss Paxton also said that his bravery was surpassing that of the Black Owl. There are several witnesses who claimed that there is some involvement of Black Owl but Miss Paxton denies seeing him yesterday night, not even a cloud of black light. Further news … ”

Jared was horrified when he saw the news report on the television display in the electronic shop windows. The news caster even mentioned a detailed description of his appearance complete with his signature floppy hair. Great, Jared! Way to be as inconspicuous as possible. He never felt comfortable with popularity, always shied away from the spotlight as much as he could, although barely anything interesting happened back home. Jared walked back to Chad’s apartment as fast as he could with his head held down, hiding behind his bangs.

Jared really did not mean it to become this big. He had done all he could to escape the spotlight yesterday night. The cops arrived not too long after the abrupt departure of Black Owl followed closely by the paramedic. They were soon invested in securing the bad guys and let Jared go away with the medic van since the girl became hysterical whenever they tried to separate her from Jared. Once they got to the hospital and the doctors finally managed to coax the little girl off of him, he quickly escaped without giving any information on his identity. He never expected that the little girl would blow it up like that.

\----------------------------

Jared finally got a job at a Chinese restaurant as a delivery guy. Chad happily lent him his boss’s old bicycle that had rotted away at the workshop for years. The thing was old but Chad had managed to fix it for him. Now, Jared mostly spent his time strolling around the city’s streets, hoping that he would someday run into Jensen. He still did not get any call from Gladys, although, he did not think she would call so soon, after only two weeks. Jensen must be busy because several local papers had stated quite a few crimes had been stopped by the Owl but Jared was never able to catch the guy in action. So, Jared decided to busy himself by rounding up the block during his route for signs of crime. He even managed to stop a couple of thieves on the street during his shift and that made him feel good. Jared always loved to help people and being able to use his ability to help others felt satisfying. He was thinking that he might have begun to find his calling.

Jared donned up his big grey hoodie and faded dark blue jeans, got his bangs and floppy hair cut short and up in spikes and was on his way to deliver the last order for the day to a bank building on Maple Street. He was paddling along the Red Oak Street then rounding the corner to Maple Street before he stopped in front of South Horn Savings to park his bike. He was just coming up to the second floor of the building when two gun shots rang out behind him.

Five men holding various kinds of firearms strolled inside the bank. Two security guards were knocked out cold on the floor near the door where two of the five men were pulling them out of the way and near the wall before stripping them of their guns. Another two of them were securing the two ways out of the building front and back with chains and padlocks. The fifth one, who seems to be the leader, pointed his sawn off up the ceiling and shot twice.

“Alright, everybody calm down! No one’ll get hurt if you do what I say!”

His friends quickly gathered the staff and bank clients in the middle of the room and told them all to sit down on the floor with their hands up in the air. There were about seven women and four men including Jared.

“You! Get up! Hands in the air!”

The leader waved around his gun, making the women screams in fright, pointing it at the bald man in a dark blue suits who was sitting right in the middle of them. The bald man stood up slowly lifting his shaking hands in the air.

“You the manager?” asked the leader of the robbers, pointing his gun at the bald man. The bald man nodded quickly. “Open your safe! Come on! All of you stay right here and don’t try to be a hero.”

Jared watched the leader and one of his men lead the manager at gun point to the safe which was located at the far wall behind the counters. The rest of the robbers were standing guard above the hostages, guns and rifles were pointed ready to open fire if one of them dared to move a muscle.

Ten minutes later, the leader was back, pushing the manager back towards the crowd of hostages on the floor and telling two of his men to help their buddy bagging the money. Then, he told the fourth man to check on the door for cops while he stood guard over the hostages. The fourth man walked to the chained doors and peeked through the glass before reporting, “No cops, yet.”

“Won’t be long. I have no doubt one of these people had pushed the panic button. They’ll be here soon. Hurry up! We got to get outta here in five!” shouted the leader to his men in the safe.

In five minutes, all three of the robbers had finished clearing up the save. Each of them brought a big bag slung over their shoulder.

“All done,” reported one of them.

“All right, everyone stand up and get into the safe, now!”

The robbers herded the hostages in line to the save behind the counter with Jared at the end of the line. They were half way to the back of the room when there was a sound of glass breaking coming from the second floor of the building. All of them were on instant alert. The robbers shared a look with one another, listening in the silence.

The leader came forward and grabbed the manager by the lapel of his suit. “Who’s up there?!”

“N..no…no one… I swear! It’s close to closing time…”

“Quiet!” He shoved the manager back in line before gesturing to one of his men to check on the second floor. “Go! … All of you into the safe! Move!” The rest of the robbers shoved the people back with the muzzle of their guns and rifles. They managed to get half of the hostages into the huge safe when there was a gun shot heard from the second floor. A body rolled down the stairs and slumped unmoving at the base of the stairs.

A silhouette of black light ran down the stairs. “What the fuck…” The robbers instantly opened fire, tracking the black light with their guns while the female hostages screamed in fear.

“Everybody down! Down!” Jared pulled the hostages down and told them to crouch with their face downward on the floor to get out off the way. He realized that the robbers were too busy engaging themselves with the newcomer who kept flitting about the room in a flash of black light to care if stray bullet hit the hostages. Half a minute later, the gun fire ceased and the robbers looking around the room suspiciously.

“Where is it?”

“It’s gone!”

“Can’t be gone! Fucking bird must be here, somewhere,” The leader growled infuriated. “Check behind the counters!” His men cautiously checked behind the counters and under few tables but they found nothing. Two of his men were still wandering about the room while one walked closer to where Jared kneeling on the floor.

Jared kneeled down, spreading his arms wide protecting three shaking women who were curled on the floor and in tears. Thankfully, the rest of the hostages were already inside the safe crouching down with their faces toward the floor although the thick steeled door was still wide open. He bent forward above the women’s trembling back while eyes roaming around the room with a frown before he remembered to look up.

Jensen could fly. He must have entered the building by flying through the second floor fixed window. So, the obvious place to look must be on the ceiling above. Jared held himself still as to avoid gaining the robber’s attention when he slowly looked up and find Jensen or rather Black Owl spread eagle on the ceiling above. The man looked back down at him as Jared motioned with his eyes to attack the leader while he took care of the nearest robber who stood a foot away from him.

He did not look up again, trusting Jensen to get his code while preparing his surprise attack on the nearest robber. He would not have to wait long. When he heard a choked sound of surprise from the leader of the robbers he knew that Jensen had taken down the leader. Jared jumped up in front of the nearest robber. Left hand grabbed the riffle and pointing it up while he pushed his right palm to the man’s chest with all his power, throwing him twenty feet backwards only to smack against the front glass door. Shards of broken glass raining down on his slumped form.

Jared turned around towards Jensen just in time to catch him jumping off the leader’s still body, flashed toward one of the shooters leaving a cloud of black light behind with bullets raining at his moving form. He disappeared for two seconds before reappeared right on the left side of the shooter to give him a round house kick to his head. Jared was so in awe of Jensen in action that he almost forgot that there was still a robber with his automatic machine gun that was now pointed right at him.

He lifted both his arms in front of his face and chest as bullets came at him in quick successions. He was not sure what happened next but he thought he saw pink flare coming off of his palms in a blinding light deflecting the bullets before he had to close his eyes, temporarily blinded by its glare.

When all things had gone quiet, Jared put down his hands slowly. Black Owl stood over the last robber and looked at him with his expressive green eyes for few seconds before walking over to the hostages whom were still in the same position as before. Black Owl managed to get the three women that Jared was protecting minutes ago to stand up before Jared snapped to attention and rounded up the rest of the people inside the safe. He and Black Owl helped the people to get out of the bank. He was sure the police would get there soon as he heard the siren blared from afar.

As the last of them stepped out of the broken door, Jared turned towards the superhero grabbed the man and threw him back to the wall next to the door away from prying eyes. He pressed close to him with both hands on his chest holding him still to the wall. Black Owl struggled in his grip but Jared was not relenting.

“I’m stronger than you,” said Jared with a pleased smirk on his lips. “And I know who you are … … Jensen.”

Jared shouted in triumph inside as he saw those pretty eyes grew wide in surprise. “If you still don’t know who I am or refuse to recognize me then I’ll gladly remind you.”

Jared wasted no time and dived in; kissing those tantalizing plump lips that had been teasing his dreams the last five years. Jensen was unresponsive at first but Jared was determined. He kissed and bit and sucked those lips, coaxing them to open and to react to his onslaught. After what felt like forever, Jensen started to respond. Jared felt his body slowly go lax and his lips started to move along as Jared’s lips massaged them slowly and sensually. Jensen let out a small gasp as Jared finally managed to crack open his lips and sneak in, tasting inside his mouth giving back what Jensen gave him five years ago, with a bonus.

Jared grinned widely at the stunned Owl as he pulled back. “When you visit your agency, check the application forms.” Jared stepped back and moved his strong grip off Jensen’s broad chest, stroking it longingly before letting him go.

Jensen just stood there, looking at Jared with a puzzled expression in his eyes but Jared gave nothing more except a blinding smile and a taste of his dimples. This time he was the one who left the Owl in a befuddled haze. The cops had arrived and they were going to enter the bank to secure the building and apprehend the criminals. Jared fled to the back door by breaking the chains with his power. When he got outside, he put on his hood, rounded to the front of the building, feigned innocence and got his bike back. He knew he would have to pay for the spilled Lo Mein but he could not muster even the thought to care. Instead, he paddled away from the growing crowd in front of the bank, whistling and grinning from ear to ear. He was definitely looking forward to that phone call from Gladys. Perhaps Mr. Black, the manager of the agency, was the one who was going to call him. Either way, things were looking up and Jared could not be happier.

 


End file.
